IMMIGRATION UPDATE

There are two major developments relating to immigration in Nigeria recently. The first is the issuance of guidelines by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to international travellers travelling to Nigeria. The new guidelines advises intending travellers arriving or departing from the country to ensure that they pass through recognized points of entry and exit into the country and submit themselves to the immigration officers for clearance.

The second development is the Ministry of Interior’s order mandating the immediate deportation of 36 Indian nationals who illegally gained entry into Nigeria with fake visas and counterfeit immigration stamps and 2 Korean nationals for failing to regularize their stay upon the expiration of their contract with the Zamfara State Government. The NIS through the recent immigration regulations is seeking to better police and enforce the provisions of the Immigration Act.